An Woojin (23), is one of the best pitchers in South Korea. His 2022 leadership led to the Korea Baseball Organization, the country’s top league, in earned run average and strikeouts. The K.B.O. didn’t invite him to play in Next week will see the World Baseball Classic featuring Major League Baseball stars.
K.B.O. The K.B.O. has stated that it has excluded Mr. An. He has been plagued by anonymous allegations that he assaulted teammates. in high school because they consider him to be a reputational liability. He was not considered last year for an award given to the K.B.O.’s best pitcher because of those accusations.
There have never been any charges. and An claimed news reports about him bullying his children, which he then apologised for, were exaggerated. But many South Koreans and baseball enthusiasts have stated their support for his exclusion.
In the two-decades since, there have been many public allegations of school bullying. and Intense violence has been a prominent part of our lives. in South Korean culture — Netflix even has a hit show on the subject, “The Glory.” Entertainment agencies check out potential pop stars in order to find evidence of bullying in They have a history.
President Yoon Suk Yeol rescinded last week the nomination of Jung Soon Shin as Chief of the National Office of Investigation in response to reports that Mr. Jung’s son had verbally harassed a high school classmate in 2017, and It was clear that Jung had supported him, rather than held him responsible.
Numerous South Koreans believe that bullies have damaged victims’ lives in An irreversible manner, according to Jihoon, who is a University of Alabama criminologist and has researched bullying in South Korea. “The idea of damaging the career of a bully is not seen as problematic, as they are seen as deserving it,” He said.
Bullies are still popularly taken down, in spite of concerns over accountability and Credibility is a given in Many of the charges are not public. Critics also question whether reputations are being damaged in a way that is not proportional to the crimes.
An national dialogue about school bullying was initiated in After several teens who were victims of this abuse committed suicide, the 1990s brought closure. The 2004 anti-bullying law was widely regarded as a turning point, however there were still very few mental health services available for bullies. and Jun Sung Hong of Wayne State University, who is a professor in social work and has published about bullying, stated that their victim has not stopped. in South Korea.
For bullying in South Korea They are less severe than in United States School harassment can lead to suspensions or expulsions. South Noh YoonHo, a Korean lawyer, stated that Korean schools only impose community service and a restraining or. in Seoul, who advised victims of bullying.
Ms. Noh stated that there were more victims. and Reporting school bullying has been made possible by others. and Institutional mechanisms have become more efficient. According to a survey by the government, 91% of those who reported experiencing bullying in 2013 were more likely than 78%. in 2014.
People have been naming public figures and athletes as victims of bullying. and entertainers, as perpetrators.
Two professional volleyball players will be in 2021: the twins Lee Jaeyeong and Lee Jaeyeong. and Lee Da-yeong (24 years) was cut from the Korean clubs when they confessed to verbally abusing their fellow teammates in middle school. This triggered a rash of bullying allegations against other athletes. and Moon Jae–a request for mercyin For the Culture Ministry “make special efforts to eradicate the problem.”
Hybe was the agency behind BTS’ boy band last year. kicked out Kim Ga-ram Le Sserafim’s nascent girl-group, following anonymous accusations that Hybe had verbally abused the group members. Hybe threatened to sue the accusers of her defamation but she was later released. ended Ms. Kim’s contract A law firm representing the accused threatened to make public evidence after it was threatened by them.
Ms. Noh stated that victims may choose anonymity to avoid retaliation from former bullies or allies. There are anonymous allegations, however. in The South Korean media outlets are not as powerful and reliable as they appear.
Hong Hyun Hee was indicted two years ago. in A post online claiming that she had been bullied at school. Her former classmates have denied making the claim. and The defamation suit was filed against her. Her accuser later withdrew the post and apologized For having a “memory lapse,” Ms. Hong’s agency said.
Others criticize the harshness of some takedowns. Case in Punkt: An Woojin, pitcher
Mr. An’s troubles began in 2017. When a television network was established reported He had attacked younger students on the high school football team.
Police found that Mr. An had struck three students younger than he was at the time. in The head is covered with a phone, a baseball or a cellphone and a belt buckle, and According to his lawyer’s police records, a fourth student hit the ground with a bat. After the students decided not to file charges, saying that Mr. An’s behavior had not been severe, prosecutors dropped the case.
An (6-foot-3, right-handed, 6-foot-3 player) was accused of throwing fastballs at 99 mph. He went on to become a professional in the following year. Kiwoom Heroes signed him 600,000,000 won is equivalent to approximately $470,000. New bullying allegations have not been made.
However, the claims still shadow his career.
2017 was the Korea The Baseball Softball Association that governs the national teams barred him from participating in the Olympics and Asian Games. The Asia Games are held each January. Korea Baseball Organization selected the World Baseball Classic team. The player said he was not interested in participating. in The tournament starts on Tuesday.
This team was carefully selected to be a part of the goal. “the symbolic meaning, responsibility and price that comes with representing the country,” the organization’s spokesman, Lee Kyong-ho, said in An interview. “Is it right to select players based only on their skills?”
Fueling public anger is a perception that the penalties Mr. An’s high school imposed — five hours of volunteer work and a written apology — were too light. But Mr. An’s lawyer, Baek Sung-moon, said in Interviewer said that the ban on him being allowed to compete in international tournaments was based on his perception of bullying that was more severe than it had been reported.
“He has had a hard time being viewed as some kind of a school bullying demon,” He added.
Mr. An’s defenders include Shin-Soo Choo, an outfielder who played 16 years in The majors and Now plays in The K.B.O. Last month, he stated that “South Koreans don’t seem to easily forgive.”
“He repented his mistakes, got punished and was suspended from tournaments,” Mr. Choo told a Korean-language station in Dallas, adding that Mr. An’s talents could make him “the next Chan Ho Park,” An All-Star pitcher, who was the first South Korean-born M.L.B. player.
But many critics of Mr. An have taken issue with Mr. Choo’s efforts to stand up for him. Park is one of those critics, having retired from playing baseball. in 2012.
“An Woo-jin’s exclusion from the W.B.C. national team was a reflection of the times,” he told reporters on a visit to the Heroes’ spring training camp in Scottsdale, Ariz.
“I told him not to be so sad,” He added.
